Photo Courtesy of Jurokey
Jurokey—a musical storyteller who transforms life’s quiet moments into stirring, universal melodies. Rising to fame with a viral performance on I Can See Your Voice Season 2 (South Korea’s hit music mystery show), he merges raw emotion and artistry to create soundscapes that resonate deeply with audiences.
In this introspective interview, Jurokey opens up about his creative process, the inspirations behind his work, and how he turns personal experiences into music that connects us all.
“Self-producing” is central to your work. How do you balance the roles of lyricist, composer, and arranger without losing your artistic vision?
I think it’s important for me not to tell everything apart. We don’t try or work hard to maintain something well with each other. I did it because I liked it, so I naturally did music, and there were lyrics, composition, and arrangements in it, so I made it without barking at it, so I came until now.
Your music is described as “flowing effortlessly, as if gliding through sound.” How do you translate abstract emotions or ideas into such fluid musical expressions?
I think music represents my personality. I think the words and thoughts used when speaking are expressed in music. Even if I express the same thing, everyone is different, so I speak my own language and emotions with my own expressions. I think that’s how you look at it.
What does “your own language and voice” mean to you, and how has it evolved since your debut?
Even if the same day is repeated every day, the feelings and expressions are different. I think I maintain my life in the process of eating sesame seeds, and I think my inner self becomes mature as I learn in the process. The voice and language that comes out of it seem to get used to as time goes by.
How do you approach blending genres or sounds to create your distinct style?
Within the framework of life, we don’t divide everything by dividing it. I think everything is connected and has a close impact on each other. If you look at it differently, everything is learning and challenging. The music is the same. I always make new efforts to learn, practice, and challenge myself.
Looking back at your 2019 debut album Hiya, what emotions or stories were you trying to convey, and how do you view that project now?
My activity name is ‘JUROKEY‘, which means my name ‘JURO‘ and ‘KEY‘ which means ‘KEY‘ added to the current name. If you look at it within a big frame, it’s the scent of my music that I hope will leave in people’s hearts and that I do my music to convey the echo of my heart. With that focus, I’ve been consistently making music and breathing through performances. I’m just doing music, and everyone has a lot of life moments. I share them with music in sympathy.
How has your relationship with music changed since your debut? Are there aspects of your craft you’ve intentionally reinvented?
When I do everything deeply, I think there are difficult moments. There were times when I had music like that, too. But I’m always doing music lightly and with the focus of every day. When I make music, I do my best to make work that I am satisfied with at that moment. After passing by, I can see that I am not good enough, but that’s what I think when I grow up, so I don’t work on it again.
What challenges did you face while establishing yourself as a self-produced artist in the industry?
I’m hoping that my music will be left in someone’s heart with a big resonance in various kinds of music. Even now, I’m still making music and practicing and studying every day with that heart. Then, I know that at some point, my music will be known, so I’m spending it happily working on it.
Are there artists, literary works, or life experiences that deeply influence your lyricism or compositions?
I think that as the time accumulates and accumulates every day, you can definitely see how it grows later. So I write songs every day, practice vocals every day, read books every day and study every day. I don’t influence someone by specifying them, but I’m greatly influenced and growing through various methods and opportunities.
If you could collaborate with any musician (living or deceased), who would it be and why?
I really liked the artist ‘Amy Winehouse’. I loved her music and loved her voice. I felt the stories in her voice and put a lot of music in my heart. I often listen to her music.
Do you ever feel pressure to conform to mainstream trends, or do you prioritize staying true to your unique sound?
There were times when many thoughts made it difficult. There must have been moments when I was thinking about what kind of music, how and how to do it. But when I looked at the conclusion and checked the process in my life, the music that I do now fits me. So I don’t have that thought or concern anymore.
How do you decide when a song is “complete”? Is there a moment where you intuitively feel it’s ready to share?
The decision is made through sufficient feedback with a friend named ‘13EAT‘, a producer I work with. As much as we trust each other, it is not an unconditional OK, but it is revised, revised, and revised through various feedbacks to complete the current music, so we continue to try again until the release is made.
How do you handle creative blocks or moments of self-doubt during the production process?
I work with a friend named ‘13EAT‘, who works with me on music, through a lot of feedback. Since we are based on unconditional trust, I think we have more favorite music because we share straightforward and heartbreaking stories and make music together.
What themes or experimental directions do you want to explore in future projects?
I want to try various things, not limited to the genre. I want to solve them in my own language such as ballads, pop, rock, soul, and R&B and express them in music.
What message or feeling do you hope our readers take away from your music, both now and decades from now?
I want to be a music that I can share and share my memorable music and memories. I always want to be with you through music. I always look forward to that moment.
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